Tool for expanding and contracting pipe clamping collars



Feb. 12, 1935. D. E. HAMMON 1,991,150

' TOOL FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING PIPE CLAMPING COLLARS Filed March 24, 1954 INVENTOR D. E. HCU'TZHZQIZ ATTORNEY i P tented; Feb. 12, 1

mass;

This invention relates to; tools to be used connection with the jcouplingj' Icollars for icorru time amount before the' holding jbolts can "be an:

pliedni V v t The principal object of iny' invention therefore is to provide atooluri "y meanslof whichthe ends, of the collar :may' be easily and quickly spread or drawn together as the case may demand, .Operations incident" to. assemblinglland 7 connecting culvert sections of this character are therefore greatlyl facilitated and expedited. over what'is now the'casef e v M i v QA further object of'the invention is to produce a ,sir'nple and inexpensive? device" andyet one Theseobjects "I accomplishfby means Tof structure and relative arrangement of .pa'rtsa's' will 'fully appear by a perus'aLfor theiollowingi specification and claims.

en'ce indicate corresponding parts in the several VIGWSI Figure l is a perspective view of the tool unit as engaged with a collar and in position to spread the ends of the same. i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged front view of the tool showing the'position of the spreading bar relative theretoat the start of a spreading operation. i V

Figure 3 is a side view of the tool unit as enends of the collar together. 7

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the collar 5 with which the tool is to beiused comprises a rectangularly split band 1 having circular corruga tions as at 2 and provided along its split edges with outwardly projectingangle iron-flanges 3 having spaced matching bolt holes 4.

5? The tool comprises a pair of similar opposed which Will be exceedingly effective fort-the. pur -j v near its lower end'is provided witha pair of In the drawing, similar characters of referpositioned relative to the upper cross rod 11 so gaged with a collar and in position to draw the e mounted in position relative to the legs and is PA ENTo F reg} 1 i, 11 9 5 4 reer, Fo'RQ-EXPANMNG ANDOONTRAIGTING I IPE L GI OLQR v, 1. anae ia i g a a A 1 3;; 1 lll lie a saiuar'f'ci z 1934, sea 717,191;

9 9 11- 1 t e e legs 5fhin'ge'd together; at one rend as at 6 for opening and closing movement relative to 'each' other, The; legs; atthe free end are normally spread apart some. distance and are formed with extensions 7' disposed circumferentially parallel to each other at right janglestothe'legs. Stub pinsB project from the opposite sides [of the extensions intermediate their ends and are adapted to freely fproject through an opposed pairof the bolt holesinthe'c'ollar flanges, v 10 j Adjacent their hinged endthe legs. are partially, bowed relative. to 'eachother, the adjacent races; of tlie'legs 1 then converging toward each otherlatlla'n acutefangle asshown at B to finally r rma relatively restricted passage between the legs as" indicated at B., Beyond'the passage ,the

legs then diverge toward their extension end; and below said restricted passagethe legs are con nec'ted by"alig ht chain 9' orsimilar flexible elemenu to 11mm the possible arriountof spread. The} legs are arranged relative to each other and to the size of a collar to bemanipulated so that when? the extensions-Tare placed betweenthe flanges 3 andfthe'collar is in a contracted posi- ,Means to spread'the legs when the tool is in fihgfibOVB position and forming a necessary part of the tool unit is providedinthe form ot a' 7 special crOwbar'jlO of suitable length. This bar grooves'is greater than the'thick'ness of the legs 5 and the angular setting of the same approxi mates that of'the sides A of the legs whenlthe' passage'B is most restricted. The grooves are that when the bar 10 is projected between the legs above the passage and is held with the upper rodagainstone face of the same, said grooves lie in thetransverse plane of the legs so that they are in position to engage the adjacent side walls of the passage. When the crowbar is thus disposed at a forward acute angle thereto, as

' shown in Figure 1,a combined longitudinal and tion, said passageB is very. narrow." 25

withdrawn from the culvert or another section of culvert to be inserted in the collar. The crowbar is placed through the tool from the side opposite the extensions '7 as shown. so that the downward push of the bar against the tool will cause the extensions to bear against the culvert sothat the said tool cannot get out of its proper vertical position. I n n When it is desired to contract the collar about the culvert the tool is turned to extendbetween and across the flanges 3, with the extensions 7 projecting downwardly and with their lower ends engaging under the base of one of the flanges 3 between the corrugation of the collar as indi- To enable the extension to cated in Figure 3. have a non-slipping hold, their ends are turned up somewhat, as shown at 13. l

' The crowbar 10 is inserted between the legs at their hinged end and its lower end is engaged under the base of the adjacent flange 3. The bar is flattened at its lowerend and is also turned up slightly as at 14 to provide a better grip with the flange. Upon pulling the bar in a direction transversely ofthe: collar and using the lower end ofthe bar as a fulcrum it will be seen that the flanges 3 will be drawn toward each other to any necessary extent. a

1 From the foregoing description it will be read- -i1y seen that I have produced such a device as I-lavingthus described"my invention. what I 1 claim, as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

; 1'. A tool to spread a split collar, said collar having upstanding flanges along its split edges, said tool comprising a pair of legs hinged together at one end, means at the other end'of the legs for engagement with the adjacent faces of the flanges, the adjacent faces of the. legs being bowed apart at their hinged end; and then con-' verging toward each. other at an acute angle to leave a relatively narrow passage. therebetween,

intermediatetheir ends, and a bar'insertible be.-

' tween the bowed. portion of the legs and adapted to be: depressed into spreading engagement with said converging faces of thelegs- 7 2. A toolto spread a; split collar, said collar having upstanding flangesalong its. split edges I 1,991,150 said tool comprising a pair of legs hinged to-i gether at one end, and adapted at the other end for engagement with the adjacent faces of the flanges, the adjacent faces of the legs being bowed apart at their hinged end and then converging toward each other at an acute angleto" leave a relatively narrow passage therebetween intermediate their ends, a bar insertible between the bowed portion of the legs, said'barbeing formed with opposed grooves disposed in transversely converging relation; to each other at anangle approximately that of the angle of convergence of the leg faces, and a cross element on the bar to engage the legs-on one 'side'and positioned so that the grooves-will then aline with said adja-- cent faces of the .legs. g r r V 3. 'A tool togspreada split collar, said collar having upstanding flanges alongits split: edges and opposedbolt holes in the fiangeasaid tool comprising apair of leg members hinged together atone end and adapted at. the other end to p engage the adjacent faces: of the flanges, pins. 1 y

projecting laterally from the opposed-faces of the 'members for engagement with the'bolt holes, and

means to spread the legs; n, i

'4. A tool to contract a split 'collar,lsaid collar having upstanding flanges along its split edges] said tool comprisng a pair of legs. hinged together- 7 at one end, parallel extensions on the opposite ends of the legs disposed'atright angles thereto, the legsbeing adapted to be disposed so as to extend across and above 'theflanges with the extensions. depending for engagement with the out.- side of vone flange at the base, and a bar insertible between the legs at their hinged end and adapted at one end tolextendoutside the other flange and engage the same at the base.

' 5. A tool to selectively spread or contract a; split collar, said collar having upstanding flanges along its splitedges, said tool comprising'a' pair of legs hinged together at; one end, parallel extensions on tially at right angles thereto, said extensions beingadapted'to engage the adjacent faces of the collar'flanges when the legs project outwardly from the collar and to depend for engagement with the. outside of one flange when the legs exthe opposite ends of thelegs disposed substantend above and across the flanges, and means removably insertible between the legs tospreadthe same when the legs 'are'in, the first. named posi tion, and to engage the opposite. flange'and pull against the. hinged end of. the. legs when the. latter occupy the second named position.

nwrcnr in. Harmon. 

